The first drop-off: tips so your pet adapts quickly

The first day you leave your pet with a caregiver is usually more stressful for you than for them. The good news: if you handle it well, the adaptation can be very quick (sometimes a matter of hours). Here are the tips that help the most.

Before the drop-off day

1. Do a preview visit

If possible, take your pet to meet the caregiver and the place before the first stay. 30-40 minutes. The idea is:

• For your pet to get familiar with smells and spaces without pressure.
• For the caregiver to observe them.
• For you to see how they get along in a low-stress context.

If the first time is the very day you travel, you lose that prior adaptation.

2. Adjust the routine in advance

A week before the stay, keep the routine as stable as possible:

• Same feeding and walking schedule.
• Don't introduce major changes (moving furniture, switching food, etc.).
• If the pet has a specific routine (walk at 7pm, food at 9am), share it with the caregiver so they can replicate it.

3. Prepare the "go bag"

Pack the bag ahead of time, not at the last minute. Include:

• Food for all the days + extra
• A blanket or sheet from home (with your scent - key)
• Favorite toys (2-3 they recognize)
• Usual treats
• Health record
• A sheet with important details

We have a complete checklist here.

The drop-off day

4. Arrive with time to spare (not rushed)

Ideally 30 minutes before the agreed time. Without rushing, it lets you:

• Do a "gradual entry" instead of dropping off and running.
• Show the caregiver everything you brought and where to put things.
• See how your pet reacts to the space.

5. Walk for a bit with your pet and the caregiver

Going out for a walk together (especially for dogs) is very effective. Your pet sees that you trust that person, and the caregiver connects while walking.

6. Show them the "base camp"

The caregiver will have a specific spot for your pet (bed, blanket, space). Go there with them, leave the blanket from home, their toy. Let them associate that corner with familiar things.

7. Calm goodbye, no drama

This is the most important part. If your goodbye is very emotional ("byeee my love I'm going to miss you so muuuuch!", long hugs, sad looks), your pet notices and gets anxious. You're telling them something bad is happening.

The best goodbye is short and normal. A calm "bye, behave", a quick pat, and you leave. Your pet will be fine in 5-10 minutes.

The first hours

8. Don't send 20 messages asking for photos

If you agreed on daily photos/videos, stick to that. If on the first day you send 5 messages in 2 hours, you make their job harder (and you transmit anxiety they'll pass on to your pet).

One photo 2-3 hours after the drop-off and another the next day is enough to confirm everything's fine.

9. Wait out the "adaptation phase"

Your pet may behave strangely in the first hours:

• Look for you around the house for the first 30-60 minutes.
• Not eat the first meal (stress lowers appetite).
• Be calmer or more alert than usual.
• Sleep more or be more reserved.

This is normal and it passes. The vast majority of pets adapt to the new place within 12-24 hours.

10. If they don't adapt within 48 hours, talk to the caregiver

Some signals that deserve attention:

• Doesn't eat or drink water for more than 24 hours.
• Repeated vomiting or diarrhea.
• Extreme lethargy.
• Doesn't want to leave the corner at all.

In these cases, talk to the caregiver and, if it doesn't improve, consider a solution (pick them up earlier, take them to the vet, etc.).

Tricks that work

For dogs: leave a piece of your clothing

An old t-shirt you wore the day before works as an "emotional anchor". The caregiver leaves it near the bed. It helps a lot with very attached dogs.

For cats: a box with your scent

Cats love boxes. If you leave a cardboard box with a blanket or clothes with your scent inside, it usually becomes their favorite hideout in new territory.

For everyone: the "return" ritual

When you go pick them up at the end of the stay, arrive with the same energy as at drop-off: calm, normal. If you arrive hysterically greeting them, you activate them and sometimes they get so excited they vomit or pee.

After the first stay

Reflect and adjust

When the stay ends, evaluate:

• How did you feel during? Did you have anxiety? Why?
• How did your pet respond?
• Did the caregiver communicate well? Did the photos reassure you?
• Is there anything you'd do differently next time?

This helps you improve next time (with the same caregiver or a new one).

Leave an honest review

If they had a good time, say so. If there were things to improve, mention them respectfully. Honest reviews help other owners choose better and help the caregiver grow.

In summary

• Preview visit before the first long stay.
• Arrive with time to spare on drop-off day.
• Short and calm goodbye - don't transmit drama.
• Allow the 12-24h adaptation phase.
• Don't bombard with messages in the first hours.
• After the stay, reflect and leave a review.

If you're about to make your first booking, explore the caregivers in your area and do a preview visit before traveling.